tales from a cheap chic– fashion, food, and far away places

November Faves (Plus a Fail)

Okay so I’m a few days later than I should be, but I’m really trying to get on a schedule for posts. I’m hoping for a M/W/F cadence, but juggling a blog and a full time job and living in a house with no wifi is proving difficult. Don’t worry, we’ll get there though!

Just like that, November has come and gone. Seriously, how is December already? And why is it 80 degrees in my town still? We’ve all heard of an Indian Summer, but this is starting to look like an Indian Winter. Not a fan of that.

HOWEVER– there are still plenty of things I have been a fan of this November, so I thought I would share a few with you. Listen up–

Okay, so maybe I discovered this in September when I was at a week long conference with no makeup and needed to Prime Now something cheap, but I really didn’t discover my love for it until early November. Its a great thing to keep in your bag or car quick touch ups, or if you’re like me when you just want to sleep in and do your makeup at a red light on your way to the office. For $8, this really gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The colors are not overly shiny, but can be built up for a glam smoky eye or tapped lightly in your outer crease for a natural doe eyed look. I personally like to smudge the copper color on for a bit of a “this- is-last-night’s-make-up-but-I-really-went-to-bed-at-7pm-and-did-7-sheet-masks-first” kind of vibe.

Basic, I know, but I have to say Chip and Joanna Gaines have my heart and soul. They could offer me a crumpled receipt and I would display it like Monet in my house. But in all honesty, these mugs (and all their dishware) are amazing. They’re so sturdy! The stoneware blends a bit of masculinity with with some gorgeous colors to soften it all up–yes even the sleek black, which happens to be my favorite. And for $4? A steal!

This one is easy. Take a look at my previous post and see this amazing product in action. My skin was dry and bumpy, but look in the photos and see how smooth this goes on! Its a great foundation for the cooler months or just when your face is feeling dry (like mine always). Its really so versatile! On a daily basis, I apply a thin layer for a bit of color correction, but because the product is very viscous, you can layer it up for more coverage and no cake!

“White for winter? Groundbreaking…!” Isn’t that from a…something?? Regardless, this sweater is an absolute dream. It’s soft and well made. Its thick enough to keep you warm and cozy, but doesn’t add a lot of bulk–perfect for short-bodied folks like me. I love the mock neck and the balloon sleeves…these details really set it apart from other white sweaters for me! If you ever needed a reason to wear white after Labor Day, let this be it.

Another thing that isn’t new nor is it new to me, but I did loose this one for a while and when I decided to wear it again, I fell right back in love! For me its a subtle berry color, see last post for an example. Its supposed to react with your natural pH and adjust to your unique shade, so it’s kind of hard for me to recommend that you buy this without trying. I told my little brother it was chapstick so he tried it, and honestly, his color was better than mine so….

Okay-this one is wild. You might look at this and think, “what a gorgeous red lip color”, but no. This is THE best winter blush for me. I bought it after reading an article on Into the Gloss last year and it has never disappointed. A little goes a long way with this one, and if you blend it right, it gives a beautiful “I just jumped off the slopes from a long day of skiing” flush. I love to pair it with a gold eye and a nude lip for an extra festive face.

When I first received these in the mail, I was so concerned. Elastic waist band? Yeah, not for me. When I tried them on, I was still concerned. How was I supposed to wrangle these guys up over my hips without a belt loop to hold onto? But once I had them up where they needed to be, I knew these pants were magic. Not like Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants magic, but like a pair of pants that hold everything in and fit like a glove everywhere for a five-foot-three girl with wide hips and skinny ankles and a little bit of a pooch kind of magic. I bought a size 0 Petite and let me tell you, no jeans have ever been such a perfect length or fit everything right without bagging. The no zipper shimmy is just a tiny fault in these amazing pants, but its so worth it to sit in an office all day and know your pants will never sag.

First of all–Brandless is pretty great. Some stuff is a not worth the $3 plus shipping, but I’ll tell you what is, this tea. Its such a nice way to end the night. Its only a little cheaper than Celestial Seasonings version, but this one tastes a little better to me and put me to sleep in 20 minutes. If you’re looking to try Brandless, throw this in your basket too!

This coat is so cute on literally everyone–except, according to my mother, me. She says it eats me alive. I tell her “So I’m basically an Olsen twin”. People tell me I could be one of their sisters. (So do they mean I look like Elizabeth??)And that’s something I really have been leaning into with my baggy outfits. But I digress–this is such a great coat for California winters, not too heavy and still warm. I wear it over a pair of leggings and a simple tee with a pair of loafers and a low bun and feel SO EFFING CHIC. So really, who cares if it fits me like a trash bag? Its what I’m going for, okay?

I just want to give this girl a shoutout for inspiring me to get it together and stop dreaming about the things I want in life ( *cough cough* this blog) and actually do them. One of the greatest things have have taken from the episodes was about finding what defines you and what sets you apart. Or in her words, “finding your mac and cheese”. I’ve always had a hard time articulating exactly what I like and what I want, so after listening to her first episode, I sat down and wrote down 50 things I like and 20 things I want out of my life in the next 5 years. Stay tuned for an upcoming post detailing all of this!

And the finally the fail…

One thing that totally didn’t work for me in November were not one, but TWO different pairs of leather-look leggings. I have been on the hunt for a perfect pair for literally a year. First I thought the BP brand leggings would be good for me (and they were SO cheap, I just had to try). When they arrived, they were truly awful for my short little legs. They were loose all over, especially in the crotch and were about 5 inches too long so they pooled at my ankles–an all around bad look.

Up next were the Express version of the leggings. Again, they were on major sale so I thought I could give an XS petite a try. This time they were absurdly low rise and STILL TOO LOOSE. Come on Express, don’t you know what Sandy from Grease looked like at the end? That’s what we’re going for here.

This morning, I bit the bullet and bought the $98 high waisted Spanx version (ugh, it was so hard for me to admit that I wouldn’t be able to find a dupe).

BUT NEVER FEAR–I still found a discount! These are currently on sale at Bloomingdale’s for 25% off (dropping them down to $75). Run, don’t walk!

Update: These leggings got lost in the mail and finally arrived on January 2nd. They’re just as great as everyone says!